Vanderbilt's selective collection of works from Egypt, Etruria, and Greece features excellent examples from these periods that have proven invaluable for instructional purposes. The decorated ceramic wares and an exemplary terra cotta antefix from Etruria bring to life the craftsmanship and decorative architectural devices of that culture. The equally effective red-figure kylix conveys the idealism and balanced proportions favored in classical Greece, in contrast to the distinctive style seen in the Egyptian relief of a human head also found in the collection. These objects and others provide an historical base for Vanderbilt's collection of western art while serving the significant function of informing students of the modes of expression in such ancient civilizations.